A train is steaming through a winding hilly track. It is raining heavily. Among the drowsy passengers we see Anand (Shashi Kapoor) reading a newspaper. The train stops at a station. A girl's voice is heard against the banging of the door. Anand opens it, and there enters a young girl, Neela (Shabana Azmi) completely drenched. She accuses Anand of not opening the door and sits beside him. At the next station, a Police Officer enters the compartment in search of the girl. To everybody's surprise she has vanished.
Anand comes to Mohan Babu's (Bharat Bhushan) house and is shocked to see the same girl Neela who is the eldest daughter of the family.
Neela's elder brother Nabendu (Shatrughan Sinha) was implicated in a wagon-breaking charge by Avinash (Utpal Datt) and was externed. The burden of maintaining the poor family fell on the shoulders of Neela, Anand is a close friend of Nabendu.
The Station Master (Deven Verma) whom Anand met on day of his arrival has to do all sorts of work alone in the station. He also becomes a close friend of Anand.
Anand experiences the bliss of family life for the first time. He gets fatherly and motherly (Urmila Bhatt) affection and sisterly love of Rajni (Gayatri), the youngest daughter. Neela falls in love with Anand.
Anand meets Meena (Vidya Sinha) and presents her a saree sent by Nabendu-her lover. Meena is a close friend of Neela and the both work together.
Mohan Babu's house is mortgaged to Avinash and on this plea Avinash visits the house very often.He also has evil designs on both sisters.
Anand decides to save the family from the clutches of Avinash. He confronts Avinash and succeeds in obtaining the mortgage deed of Mohan Babu's house. Anand reforms Kundan (Jr. Mehmood), the wayward son of Mohan Babu. He finalises the marriage of Rajni with Ajoy (Kamarjeet) with the consent of the parents.
In the meantime, Avinash sends one his henchmen to Bombay with a photograph of Anand to collect the information about him.
On the day of Rajni's marriage, Nabendu is supposed to return since his externment period is over.The parents are eagerly waiting for their son's return. What happens to Anand and Neela who are deeply in love?
What happens to Nabendu and Meena, do the meet....? Does Avinash wicked plans succeed...?
See Arvind Sen's "Atithee" for all the answers.
(From the official press booklet)